Where does evil come from?

[chanel]

What drives a person to commit unspeakable acts of evil and depravity? We turned to forensic psychologist Stephen Diamond, author of the Evil Deeds blog on Psychology Today for the answer:

Typically it does involve some kind of trauma during childhood. Some kind of deprivation, some kind of neglect, some kind of abandonment. What we refer to psychoanalytically as severe narcissistic wounding, where the child’s basic needs for recognition of who they are and acceptance of who they are - and for love – are not met.

Where Does Evil Come From? : Discovery News

This guy doesn't believe there is a biological component. I've read some brain research that suggests there is. However, I do believe bonding, personality development, empathy, and whatnot are formed within the first three years of life.

Are ignorant, immature, self indulgent, parents creating monsters?

 

[Barb]

Fear.
Fear of not having enough:
love, sex, money, security, food, power...control. All bad acts come from a fear of some kind.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Satan is the root of all evil.

 

[Wry Catcher]

First, define "evil". What is an evil act? Is murder for hire an act of evil by the conspirators? Is a simple lie evil when it causes pain? Is the torture of another human being evil sometimes but not everytime? Is it evil to take someones life when they are in severe pain and there is no hope for a cure? Or, is it evil to extend life and allow someone to suffer?
For once the author of the OP asks a profound question, though I suspect the motivation in posting this thread is totally partisan, the question is provocative and requires thought. I also suspect it will go nowhere but will produce plenty of idiotgrams ("it's Satan!").

PS Chanel, the link you posted did not work.

 

[chanel]

Not partisan - unless you believe that only R's can define morality.

Wry - the article is essentially about Van der Sloot. They are discussing killing innocent people with dispassion. Can we agree for now that that is "evil"?

 

[Truthmatters]

lack of compassion for others.

There may be many reasons people have a lack of compassion for others.

It could be the wounding this man is talking about or the inborn brain chemistry and structure that causes someone to be unable to feel compassion for others.

Sociopaths can be created or born.

This is why it is so sick of many to malign people who want to help others with epitaths of "bleeding heart liberal" and the like.

We should all strive to help our fellow man becausse we are intrinsically tied together.


When you tell someone they are hurting people by helping people you harm society.

Why dont we all just abolish evil by helping each other and quit accepting political tag lines that try to convince people not to help each other.

 

[Sky Dancer]

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?" The Shadow knows.

 

[Avatar4321]

It comes from the corrupt choices we make.

 

[chanel]

Ok. But everyone has those thoughts. When do they become actions? Try this link:

Where Does Evil Come From? : Discovery News

 

[Truthmatters]

It comes from the lack of compassion expressed by those who rationalize letting others suffer.

 

[AquaAthena]

What drives a person to commit unspeakable acts of evil and depravity? We turned to forensic psychologist Stephen Diamond, author of the Evil Deeds blog on Psychology Today for the answer:

Typically it does involve some kind of trauma during childhood. Some kind of deprivation, some kind of neglect, some kind of abandonment. What we refer to psychoanalytically as severe narcissistic wounding, where the child’s basic needs for recognition of who they are and acceptance of who they are - and for love – are not met.

Where Does Evil Come From? : Discovery News

This guy doesn't believe there is a biological component. I've read some brain research that suggests there is. However, I do believe bonding, personality development, empathy, and whatnot are formed within the first three years of life.

Are ignorant, immature, self indulgent, parents creating monsters?

Deeply rooted anger and pain...

 

[Sky Dancer]

Evil is a Judeo-Christian concept--with Satan as adversary. John Milton's Paradise Lost is an epic poem about the origin of evil.

 

[chanel]

Truth - you were starting to make sense, but now have gone off on one of your partisan tangents. Let's talk individuals - not politics.

Serial killers, pedophiles, and terrorists come from across the spectrum. I suggest that it starts with the parents.

 

[Avatar4321]

lack of compassion for others.

There may be many reasons people have a lack of compassion for others.

It could be the wounding this man is talking about or the inborn brain chemistry and structure that causes someone to be unable to feel compassion for others.

Sociopaths can be created or born.

This is why it is so sick of many to malign people who want to help others with epitaths of "bleeding heart liberal" and the like.

We should all strive to help our fellow man becausse we are intrinsically tied together.


When you tell someone they are hurting people by helping people you harm society.

Why dont we all just abolish evil by helping each other and quit accepting political tag lines that try to convince people not to help each other.

Compassion is worthless if the people you are helping are worse off than they were to begin with. Compassion is also worthless if if doesn't motivate you to do anything. Just feeling for someone is useless. You need to act.

Charity, true charity, is to act in love for someone to lift them to a higher place. Charity doesn't just feel. It improves their conditionr. You can't outsource charity to the government. You can't force people to be charitable. It's an individual choice that requires personal action and interaction. It must come without compulsion or it isn't there.

I don't know why you think you can help someone by making things worse off for them and are somehow justified as being "compassionate." But that's not love. It's not honest. You are so blinded with partisanship that you don't see true compassion and charity when it's right in front of you. Charity isn't a partisan matter. Quite the contrary. People from all walks of life are charitable despite politics. And they do so without abusing government power and robbing from others to pretend they are charitable. They actually give of their time, talents, and money freely.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Karma. Some people come in with a habit or propensity for evil actions.

 

[chanel]

Sorry about the link. I'm having trouble with it loading also, but if you google the title you should be able to read the whole thing. It's a pretty short interview.

 

[uscitizen]

Evil comes from the basic human emotions we are born with. Greed and fear.
We have to learn the good stuff.

Or you can just blame it on the debbil and avoid personal responsibility.

 

[Truthmatters]

And politics is in everything.

To suggest people are stupid or bad for wanting to help their fellow man is EVIL.

Now tell me which party has made a party tenent of trashing people for wanting to help their fellow man.

This is a political site by the way.

 

[Granny]

What drives a person to commit unspeakable acts of evil and depravity? We turned to forensic psychologist Stephen Diamond, author of the Evil Deeds blog on Psychology Today for the answer:

Typically it does involve some kind of trauma during childhood. Some kind of deprivation, some kind of neglect, some kind of abandonment. What we refer to psychoanalytically as severe narcissistic wounding, where the child’s basic needs for recognition of who they are and acceptance of who they are - and for love – are not met.

Where Does Evil Come From? : Discovery News

This guy doesn't believe there is a biological component. I've read some brain research that suggests there is. However, I do believe bonding, personality development, empathy, and whatnot are formed within the first three years of life.

Are ignorant, immature, self indulgent, parents creating monsters?

People raised under very bad circumstances - abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation from society, and many other situations do not necessarily turn out to be evil. In fact, they can turn out to be very compassionate people. It's because of making good decisions early on - not to be like their abuser, not to inflict the same pain on others because they know first hand how badly it hurts.

 

[Sky Dancer]

What drives a person to commit unspeakable acts of evil and depravity? We turned to forensic psychologist Stephen Diamond, author of the Evil Deeds blog on Psychology Today for the answer:

Typically it does involve some kind of trauma during childhood. Some kind of deprivation, some kind of neglect, some kind of abandonment. What we refer to psychoanalytically as severe narcissistic wounding, where the child’s basic needs for recognition of who they are and acceptance of who they are - and for love – are not met.

Where Does Evil Come From? : Discovery News

This guy doesn't believe there is a biological component. I've read some brain research that suggests there is. However, I do believe bonding, personality development, empathy, and whatnot are formed within the first three years of life.

Are ignorant, immature, self indulgent, parents creating monsters?

People raised under very bad circumstances - abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation from society, and many other situations do not necessarily turn out to be evil. In fact, they can turn out to be very compassionate people. It's because of making good decisions early on - not to be like their abuser, not to inflict the same pain on others because they know first hand how badly it hurts.

That's why I think it's a queston of karma, and what some people bring in with them when they're born. Sociopaths appear to have no conscience.